Control
by spiceXisXnice
Summary: Can the authoress come into her own fanfiction? Of course she can! She’s just never tried it yet. It only takes a flick of the fingers…
1. Authoress

A/N: Jack, I'm not gonna have a conversation with you like I normally do.

Jack: WHAT?! No Jackie-Poo? No mocking me? No banter?

A/N: Nope.

Jack: …Was it something I said?

A/N: (sigh) Just read the fic.

Title: Control

Rating: K+

Summary: Can the authoress come into her own fanfiction? Of course she can! She's just never tried it yet. It only takes a flick of the fingers…

* * *

'Hmm…' I thought, picking up the book I'd gotten at a garage sale. I ran my finger down the table of contents. 'To transport yourself to the place you desire to go…page 114.' It was a Magick Book, as proclaimed on its cover. I skimmed over to the page. 'Here we go!' I thought, slinging my laptop bag over my shoulder and looking over the magic words.

AUTHORESSAUTHORESSAUTHORESS

Kimiko, Clay, Raimundo, and Omi were relaxing in the courtyard. Master Fung had given them the day off and they were deciding where to go. Clay had just turned to Raimundo to see what he was talking about when he heard an incoherent squeal over his left shoulder. Mine.

"Omigod! It worked!" I squealed, jumping up and down in my pirate boots. The dragons covered their ears.

"Where'd you come from?!" demanded Raimundo.

A slow, slightly evil smile came over my face. "None of that," I said, shaking a finger. I slowly raised my hand and he came up with it, getting steadily to his feet. "Dance," I commanded, flicking my fingers. He began a fast tap dance.

"What's happening?!?!" he demanded shakily. A lot of demanding from this one. I turned my palm into a fist and let it drop and he stopped. "Holy cow, what just happened?"

"Are you a witch?" Dojo asked timidly from under Clay's hat. Clay wasn't looking too good himself: pale and shaking.

"No," I said, "merely an all-powerful being. You may call me…" I struggled to come up with a cool sounding name, "Authoress." I know, not the most creative, but what can you do?

"Authoress," said Omi reverently.

I smiled again, but none of that evil crap this time. "Authoress," I agreed. "I can make any of you do whatever I want! I can make you sing," I flicked my fingers at Clay and he began a rich Italian opera in a velvety voice. I lowered my fist. "I can make you do back flips," I flicked my fingers at Omi this time and he began back flipping all over the place. I lowered my fist. "I can make you…and Raimundo…" I looked at Kimiko.

"I believe you!" she hastily assured me.

"So," I said, "You'd better not piss me off." They all nodded. "Now, I'm going to go see the one person I know here about some accommodations." I spun on my heel and marched off to where I knew the Master was. The one person I couldn't control.

Dragon's POV

"I'm going after her," Clay said determinedly.

"Are you serious, man?!" asked Raimundo. "She'll tear you apart! You've seen what she can do! She's evil, man."

"But she knows the Master, she cannot be all bad," said Omi.

"He may know something about her, that's why I'm going after her," said Clay. "Y'all do what you want, but this cat's about to be killed." He went after her.

"He's killing a cat?!" squeaked Omi.

My POV:

"Master Fung!" I called, seeing the old man.

His eyes widened visibly. "Ellie Clark? What are you doing here?"

"Experimenting," I said breathlessly. "I found a book of Magick, and it actually worked! I'm here, and I can control everyone weaker in mind, spirit, and creativity then me! So…I guess I can't control you. I can control Wuya, though! She's weaker in creativity. And Chase Young, since he has no spirit. Also, the monks and Dojo. Clay's weaker in mind, Kimiko's weaker in creativity, Rai's weaker in mind, spirit, and creativity, Omi's very close to matching me, except in the creativity department, and Dojo's, well, just the tiniest bit weaker in spirit, since he's a dragon. Oh," I added, "my new name is Authoress."

"Very good, young Authoress," said Master Fung, bowing to me. "You've been learning since I last saw you. Now, I'm assuming you need a place to stay?"

"Yes, please, Master." I bowed just as deeply and followed him, but not before dropping a note on the floor where I was sure the fly on the wall would get it. Not much escaped my attention.

Clay's POV

I watched this conversation with interest, questions forming on the lips I knew mustn't open. As she bowed and left, I noticed a piece of paper drop out of her sleeve. As soon as she was gone, I darted forward and grabbed it, thinking it was important information. I opened it, and it simply read,

_Don't go messing in things that shouldn't be messed with. Do you want to know how eavesdropping is punished where I come from?_

_Authoress_

_PS Look up._

I looked up, just in time to see a bucket of water fall onto my head. My hat, however, floated easily to where it wouldn't get wet. I knew it was her doing.

'Well,' I thought as I dusted off my hat, 'at least she respects that.'

A/N: Like the name?

Jack: Authoress? Writer's block, much?

A/N: Much. Anyways, r & r, peeps, cause that's cool.

Jack: You have far too much free time on your hands.

A/N: So nu?


	2. Snapped

Jack: Zomfg! Took you freaking long enough to update.

A/N: Listen, I've been working on a whole mess of other fics, and this one has taken backseat, okay? I'm updating now.

Jack: Wow. Pissed-off, much.

A/N: (sigh) Sorry, Jackie-poo. School's starting on Monday and I've been dealing with a lot of family crap lately.

Jack: Sorry. Wanna talk about it?

A/N: You'll see soon enough. All my readers, this is more of a therapy thing for me, just to get some closure. Pardon me if it's totally odd. Reviewers:

Fallonmarie3: Thanks! Here's more!

Cathy(too lazy to log in): Thank you. This fic is doing me some good.

Russell: Sorry, I didn't update soon. I'm updating now, though!

Darkfireprincess113: Thanks!

Voltra the Lively: Yes, villains are in this chappie.

Mutantllama: Thanks, little bro. However, you need to stop playing your harmonica. It's getting annoying.

Tachzaruu: Yeah, the portal things, I can't make with my fingers. I can only control people and machines.

Ficgrl555: I hold a certain soft spot for the cowboy, what can I say? I'm an Okie.

There we go! Enjoy the fic!

AUTHORESSAUTHORESSAUTHORESS

"Score," whispered Rai as he held up the blue-velvet covered book. It had 'Journal' splayed across the top, and it was in Authoress' room. This was what he'd been waiting for. Authoress, fortunately, had only brought this journal with her, so she was in town with Dojo (who'd taken a liking to her) picking out 'necessities'. He shoved the journal in a black bag he'd brought and ran to the garden, where Kimiko, Omi, and Clay were still enjoying their time off (Master Fung extended it to two weeks, except for a bit of training and Shen Gong Wu alerts, since the holidays were coming and they had a guest), mostly talking about Authoress. "You guys," he panted, holding up the bag. "I found her journal."

"Really?" asked Kimiko.

"Should we?" asked Clay.

Rai nodded. "Have you already forgotten the bucket of water? And who knows what she'll do to you!" he said looking at Kimiko. "The back flips?" he asked Omi.

Omi shook his head. "It is not right. You do what you will, but I will not partake." He walked away, muttering to himself.

"Whatever," said Rai. "We need to know what she's planning." He pulled out the book and flipped to December 13th, a week before she'd joined them.

Dec. 13 

_Stuck. Stuck at my dad's house for the holidays. I have no desire to sit in some stuffy Baptist church and listen to the preacher talk about Jesus dying, when we're celebrating his birth, then sing hymns about Jesus dying. Whatever. Too depressed to write now._

_Dec. 15_

_Went Christmas shopping today. My stepmother is forcing me to dress like a girl, when she knows very well I have no desire to do. She just wants me to be a little her. I want to be at mom's house for the holidays! I want to hang out with her boyfriend, George, I want to have my own Christmas party instead of just the company Christmas party. I don't want to hang out with my psychotic stepmother who insists that Will's gay and I'm a fatty who will develop adult diabetes. Will might like purple and musical theater, but so did dad when he was a kid, and look at him! True, I don't want my brother to turn out to be my dad, God no, but Dad's straight._

_Earlier today, that's what the psychotic woman told me and Will. That we'd grow up to have adult type two diabetes. I'm freaking 13! It scared me out of my wits! She told us we'd lose all our limbs and die. I can't write right now. My hand is shaking. I'll go take a shower._

_Dec. 17_

_Company Christmas party at our house today. Totally boring, I watched the baby. She cried, and pooped her pants, but eventually settled down to watch Frosty with me. I'm glad she's got me, Will, heck, even Sarah to watch over her. Who knows what crazy thing Haley might grow up to be with just Dad and Belli? Craziness._

Dec. 19 

_Wrote a song today. Called it Depth Perception. Kind of emo/goth hardcore rock, but not metal. Depressing, yeah, but that's how I'm feeling right now._

_This is hard to write, but I have to get it out. I was told basically, screw my dreams. Told my writing and drawing weren't going anywhere, told my movie has no point. I just feel like telling myself to screw it._

_Why can you not accept me for who I am? I like me. Why can't you like me? Why do you persist in making me feel like a piece of crap, unworthy to be scraped off the bottom of your shoe?_

_Screw it. Just…screw it._

_I feel like if I died, right now, no one would notice. And if they noticed, they wouldn't care. I'd be left to decay on the end of a noose hanging from the ceiling. Again, screw it._

_Interpret this entry however you like. I don't care anymore. I really don't. I finally figured out the failure I really am. I'm just wondering why I didn't figure it out earlier._

_Screw. It. I quit._

_Dec. 20_

This page was splotched with tear drops. Through the drops that smudged the ink, they could see some lyrics.

_I guess that my depth perception_

_Isn't what it used to be._

'_Cause I always thought_

_That you were deeper then me._

_But now I can see_

_You're not as deep as the sea._

_Not as deep_

_As I thought_

_You would be._

_Here goes nothing. I only hope it works, so I can get out of this nightmare._

There was no more after that. Raimundo closed it softly. "She just wanted to escape…" he whispered.

"Yeah…" said Kim, shaking her head. "Something must have gotten real bad for her to want to escape all the way to China."

"See?" whispered a little voice to the left. Turning, they saw Authoress, shaking, her face turning white, then red, then white again. Omi was hiding behind her legs. He'd obviously brought her here.

"D-d-d-did you…" she sputtered, "read it?"

The three dragons reluctantly nodded.

"Since what date?" she asked, deathly quiet.

"December 13th," muttered Rai. Clay pulled his hat over his eyes, obviously ashamed. Kimiko suddenly found a strand of hair very interesting. Rai looked at his shoes.

"Since I went to my dad's house," she whispered. She walked forward and snatched the book out of Rai's hand. She handed it to Omi, then yelled, "I TRUSTED YOU!" She flew at Rai, trying to punch him and getting a few knocks in. Kimiko rounded her and tried to keep her off. Authoress just tried to kill her as well. Clay then went and picked her up, holding her arms to her sides. She looked at him. "I trusted you the most." She struggled a bit, then just went limp. "Let me down," she whispered. Clay put her down, and she sank to her knees. She looked up, her eyes full of tears, then ran off to her room.

"Authoress!" cried Omi.

She turned around. "My name is Ellie! I never want to be an authoress again!" She proceeded to run again.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," said a voice above them. They looked up to see Jack hovering over them. "I thought I was bad." He brought his heli-bot down and deactivated it.

The dragons got into fighting positions. "Don't make us cry on you!" said Omi.

"Wail on you," said Rai.

"That too!"

Jack sighed. "Relax, cue ball. I just came to check on this new chick that's all over the Xiaolin message boards. See if she was hot, see if she was strong, all that. Well, I couldn't really tell if she was hot, because her hair was all in her face, and she wasn't strong enough to overpower the cowboy, but few are. Looks like she got you, though," he said, pointing to Rai. Rai wiped the blood coming from his nose, then looked back at Jack. Jack smirked. "That was a nasty thing to do, stealing a lady's diary." Suddenly, one of Jack's Jack-bots exploded. "What the hell…?"

Another one exploded, then another. "What's going on?" asked Omi.

Dojo smirked. "Ellie. She can control machinery."

"I'm through being sad!" thundered a voice from across the courtyard. They turned around and saw Ellie standing in a black cape. She had a tear-streaked face and fiery, furious eyes. She looked downright scary. She extended a hand from beneath her cape and fixed her eyes on Clay. She pulled her hand toward herself, and he came with it, his feet scraping the ground as he tried to get away. She knocked the cowboy hat off his head and grabbed his hair. She looked right into his eyes and he screamed, but he couldn't break away. His scream was cut off abruptly, and he crumpled to the ground. Ellie lifted a rock off the ground and hurled it into the air with her mind.

"She stole Clay's powers," whispered Kimiko.

"And made them stronger," said Dojo, his voice shaking. He ran off to hide in some bushes.

"You…" said Rai, shaking. He ran at her and she gripped her hand, gripping him as well. She took him the same way she took Clay, but Rai didn't scream. He just gave her a cold, angry look. The sky began to take on a blood-red color, and the plants began to wilt.

Kimiko was next. She wasn't about to take it lying down, but Ellie just played with her like a mouse in a trap. Eventually, Kimiko went down the way Clay did, screaming, and Ellie chuckled as she tossed a ball of fire around in her hands. Ellie turned to Omi.

"Omi, you are the only one that didn't betray me, besides Dojo. Join me, Omi!" she commanded in a raspy voice that was very unlike her own.

"No," said Omi coldly. "You hurt my friends. I will never join you."

Ellie smiled. It was a dark, creepy, psychopathic smile, but a smile nonetheless. "They are not dead, Omi. I will release them if you'll join me."

"Never."

"Then pay for it!" she rasped. She took his powers as well. As they all lay crumpled on the ground, she turned to Jack. "You have nothing I want, but I could still use you."

"Wh-whatever you want!" he squealed. "You're amazing!" This was like Chase, but better. Much, much better.

"Carry them with you and follow me," said Ellie in a commanding tone. She created flows of air that flew her over to a hill, where, as they watched, a huge castle came up, very gothica, and she flew into it, cackling, as Jack followed behind, very excited.

AUTHORESSAUTHORESSAUTHORESS

A/N: (blinks) Well…that took an interesting turn.

Jack: Yes, but…you're evil. And I love it.

A/N: You would. R & r, peeps, 'cause that's cool.

Jack: EVIL!


	3. Release

A/N: Missed me?

To my reviewers:

Fallonmarie3: This is completely an exposition of my life. So, yes, that is my step mom.

Russell: Sorry it took so friggin' long!

KuniToMyHeart and Jack's Obsessed Fangirl: Thank you both so much!

AUTHORESSAUTHORESSAUTHORESS

"Pull!" screamed Ellie. Jack pulled the lever on the skeet machine, shooting a disk into the air. Ellie smashed it with a boulder. "Pull!" she screamed again, this time killing the disk with a great ball of fire. "Pull!" She slayed it with a powerful jet of water. "Pull!" "Pull!" "Pull!" Murdering each of them with a blast from an element.

"That's enough," she told Jack, and he shut off the machine.

"Lady, the prisoners wish to see you," said a new voice, as Chase walked into the room, bowing.

"Very well," she said, grinning a deliciously evil grin at him. "Show them in."

Chase snapped his fingers and four big cats led in four angry prisoners, chained at the ankles and wrists. As soon as they were lined up in front of her, Chase stood to her left. Jack stood to her right. "Well?" barked Ellie. "Speak!"

"We have questions," said Omi.

"I assumed as much," said Ellie. "You may each ask one."

"Why did you steal our powers?" asked Rai.

"You read my diary," she snarled. "I should have killed you. I didn't. Count yourselves lucky."

"LUCKY?!" demanded Kimiko, firing up. "You stole our powers, locked us up, and took over the temple, our home!! We're lucky?!"

"Yes, lucky," said Ellie softly, dangerously. "You're alive aren't you? You're standing here talking to me, aren't you? I didn't take over the world, did I? That was your question."

"Where's Master Fung?" asked Omi before Kimiko said something that would get her into trouble.

"Here," said Ellie. "He wasn't easily overpowered, but we got him eventually." She paused, looking at Clay. "Well? You still haven't asked anything."

He thought for a moment. "What did you mean, 'I trusted you the most'?"

Ellie stared at him. "Leave us," she commanded Jack and Chase.

"But, Lady – " started Jack.

"The prisoners – " said Chase.

"LEAVE US!" shrieked Ellie, a cold wind slamming through the castle hall. Jack was quick to scurry out. Chase led Kimiko, Rai, and Omi out, along with his cats. As soon as they'd left, Ellie snapped her fingers and the chains fell from Clay's wrists and ankles. "Make one move and I will kill you," said Ellie quickly. "I'm not afraid to." She stared at him in thought once more. "You ask an interesting question for which I am at a loss for an answer." She looked at him again. "Clay, do you know how old I am?" she asked.

"14," he answered quickly.

"Indeed," she sighed. "I am 14. A 14-year-old girl with hormones, hatred, love, desire, detestation, all locked up into a little overly creative mind. I can't deal with all that. I needed someone to hang onto." She pulled out her journal and flicked open to a page. "I don't know what's happening anymore," she began.

"Only two things haven't changed.  
1. My father's a prick.  
2. My step mom's a bitch.

Everything else is confusing and scaring me.

1. My older brother is joining the Air Force. He may go to Iraq. I won't see him for four years. He may go overseas. He may die. I don't understand why he's doing this.  
2. My older sister and I are suddenly friends. I have no idea when this happened. I know, this isn't something I should be angsting about, but it's weird.  
3. My little brother is still an annoying plebe, but he's also getting more mature. I don't understand why he has to grow up: I like him the way he is.  
4. My little sister is getting bigger, too. She's walking, she's talking, and I don't get to see her every day. It's a little weird seeing her and seeing how much she's grown.  
5. My mom's a teacher. I never get to see her anymore in the mornings. She sometimes doesn't get to say goodbye.  
6. My social life is insane. A 'slutty' friend, a brilliant friend (who claims she's not), and a friend and her boyfriend's on-again-off-again relationship.  
7. I'm changing. Hormones, a changing body, craziness. I'm not even going to pretend I don't hate God for those little tricks. Why does he do this to the XX chromosome?

My family's crazy. My friends are crazy. My life is crazy.

I don't understand. Life needs a manual," she finished.

"Good enough for you?" she asked. Clay nodded mutely. "I began watching you, and I fell in love with you," she said. "You were the man of my dreams. You were kind, chivalrous, handsome…I loved that accent," she said dreamily. She shook her head and reverted to her normal voice. "I began to trust you, even though I didn't know you. So – when I finally came here – from another universe – I felt like you were the one I could trust the most." She laughed humorlessly and began to cry. "I was wrong."

"How were you wrong?" asked Clay, coming over and sitting in front of her throne, facing her.

"You read my journal," she said, snapping the blue book shut and placing it beside her. "I felt like you'd snapped my heart in two when you did that."

"I'm sorry," Clay offered.

"Okay," said Ellie, sniffing. "You must think me really silly."

"No," said Clay, holding her hand and stroking it. "No, no, no. I think you really misunderstood. I can understand that."

"You can?" asked Ellie, looking up at him hopefully.

"Yeah, actually," said Clay, surprised. "People don't get you. I get that."

"You're the first," said Ellie, conjuring a tissue out of thin air and blowing her nose. "No one at home can understand why I lock myself into my room for hours just to write. Or draw. Or listen to music. Or whatever."

"You need alone time," said Clay.

"I need to feel like I'm – "

" – Wanted. You need to feel like everything – "

" – Will be okay," finished Ellie quietly. "Did we just finish each other's sentences?"

"I think so," said Clay. "Was that – "

"Me? No," said Ellie. "You did that – "

"All on my own?" asked Clay, awestruck. He looked at her, and she looked at him. Her gray eyes held some long-repressed secret that had just been released. His blue ones held the kind understanding that everyone wants to see. He leaned forward – she was so close – he could count every eyelash on her closed eyes – she was so close –

AUTHORESSAUTHORESSAUTHORESS

"What took you so long?" asked Rai as soon as Clay got back into the cell.

"What did she say?" asked Omi.

"What happened?" asked Kimiko.

Clay didn't appear to be listening to any of them. He walked forward, turned around, leaned onto the wall, and slid down it. He crossed his arms onto his knees, his eyes thoughtful, his mouth twitching into a smile. He sat like that for a moment, his friends looking at him with concern.

"Clay? Halloo?" asked Rai, waving his hand in front of Clay's face.

"We're bein' released," said Clay.

"Why?" demanded Omi, instantly suspicious.

"You kissed her, didn't you?" asked Kimiko.

Clay looked at her with a shocked expression on her face. "How'd you know?"

"Girls know these kinds of things," she answered briskly. "So? Why?"

"She…opened up to me," Clay began. "She explained about her family. Her situation." He looked at the three. "She's not evil. Just misunderstood."

"Is she a good kisser?" asked Rai.

Clay looked at his knees, a blush creeping onto his face. "Yeah," he said sheepishly.


	4. Fulfillment

"Well, it's official," said Ellie, unchaining the prisoners. "You're released." She stood and held her arms out for a moment, glowing brightly, then lowered her arms. "All your powers should be returned to you."

"Thanks!" said Rai, playing with a bit of air.

"Welcome," said Ellie, turning around.

"Does this mean you're not all powerful anymore?" asked Jack. Ellie shot him a filthy look and he began to crow like a rooster.

"Any more stupid questions?" she asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"No," said Jack, massaging his throat. They both headed back inside.

"I'm not sure how much I like the idea of her and another guy living together," said Clay suspiciously.

"Oh, calm down," said Rai. "Like she and Jack are going to do anything."

"It's not Jack I'm worried about," said Clay, casting a dark look over his shoulder.

Meanwhile, with Ellie…

"Lady," said Chase. "I don't believe you and Clay should be together."

"Why would you say that, Chase?" asked Ellie.

"I spoke to Master Fung," said Chase sleekly. "And he said where you come from, we are merely figments of the imagination, merely drawings." He grinned evilly. "Is it really natural to be seeing a figment of your imagination?"

This sent Ellie reeling. She'd never thought of it that way. What was she doing? But she was so happy! She backed up a few paces, then turned and ran up the stairs.

Chase still had that wicked smile on his face. He'd done his part. He sat in her vacant throne to wait until her love came too late.

Back with the dragons…

"Somethin's wrong," said Clay abruptly, stopping in his tracks. "Somethin's wrong."

"What?" asked Omi.

Clay held a look of utmost horror on his face. "Ellie," he croaked, dropping his things and running back to the castle.

Back at the castle…

Clay, Omi, Kimiko, and Rai burst in and ran into Jack. He had a wild look on his face. "I haven't seen Ellie all day, and Chase is sitting in her throne, and I'm worried!"

Kimiko grabbed his hand and they all ran into the throne room. Sure enough, there was Chase, sitting on Ellie's rightful throne, looking for all the world like the cat who killed the canary. "Well, well, well," he said neatly. "What do we have here?"

"Where's Ellie?" asked Clay fiercely, staring Chase down.

"Now, now," said Chase. "Don't get 'strung out.'"

Clay ran forward, lunging with his arm in front of him and pinning Chase to the throne. "Where's Ellie?" he demanded with a snarl.

"On the roof," Chase said with a smirk, "killing herself."

All of the breath seemed to leave Clay's body at that instant. "No," he whispered. Chase's smirk still remained.

"We have to save her," said Jack, spinning around and running up the stairs to the roof. Clay barreled ahead of him. She'd confessed to him, she'd kissed him, what was she doing – ? Jack quickly matched him in speed. Could she never have seen that he didn't simply want the power, he cared about her as well?

They reached the roof. As they banged through the door to the roof, they saw Ellie. She stood on the turret of one of her walls, hair tied back in a black ribbon, one black-booted foot already off the wall. She turned and saw them. Her eyes widened and she prepared to take her final, last step.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!?!" screamed Jack, careening for Ellie as she leaped off the turret. He just barely caught her, grabbing her by the waist out of thin air and tackled her onto the stone floor, hard. She screamed in pain, throwing him off and clutching her ankle.

"To answer your question," said Ellie through clenched teeth, trying to stand up and failing miserably, "killing myself."

"Why?!" demanded Jack, confused and upset and not understanding and a plethora of other emotions.

"I'm tired of life," spat Ellie.

"Tired of life?!" challenged Jack. "Why don't you add some more salt to the wound?"

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"We already think you're psychotic! This doesn't help matters at all!"

"You, who were so quick to join my team, think me psychotic?" asked Ellie, firing up.

"Yeah, actually," said Jack in a mock-thoughtful voice. "Yeah, I do."

"Well why don't you just get it over with and break another bone?!" she demanded. Her breathing had indeed become very light and blood soaked her ankle.

"Ellie," said Clay hoarsely.

"What?" she snapped. However, the look on his face stopped her. He looked…very tired, and very sad, and very…vacant. He looked like a man who'd lost all reason to live. He looked like she did when she'd looked in the mirror earlier that day, right after Chase had talked to her. "What?" she asked again, her voice softer and kinder.

"Why?" he rasped.

"I told you all," she said, turning away. "I'm tired of life."

He sank down next to her, lifting her up and pulling her into his lap. She still wouldn't look at him, so he gently turned her face towards him. "Why?" he repeated.

She began to cry. "I love you," she sobbed, "so much." She kept sobbing. "But I can't. And if I can't be with you, I don't see what the point of living anymore is."

"Why can't you be with me?" asked Clay. Was she…breaking up with him?

"It's not the way things are done where I come from," murmured Ellie.

"Listen to me," said Clay sternly. "Do you have any intention of goin' back where you came from?"

"No," said Ellie.

"Then why's there any problem?" he asked gently.

"There isn't any," she muttered. "Being stupid. It's just…where I come from, this would be regarded as insane, or impossible."

"Is this where you come from?" Clay asked.

"No," said Ellie.

"Then don't be worrying," said Clay, bundling her into his arms and picking her up. "I love you. Isn't that all that matters?" He smiled at her softly. "Come on, let's get that ankle fixed." So, the group trekked off, back towards the temple.


End file.
